Kashima

The forest has long been a source of both firewood and building materials for the people of Tosashimizu. Nevertheless, very few trees have ever been cut down on the small island of Kashima, in Shimizu Bay. The island was considered a sacred place, where fishermen would pray for an ample catch at the local Shinto shrine. Kashima is no longer an island, as reclamation projects have created land between it and the mainland, but its lush forest stills appears much as it did before the modern world caught up with Tosashimizu. Visitors can stroll through the woods, admire the abundant plant life, and watch fishing boats depart from the adjacent port of Shimizu.